Protection & Control Applications Engineer/Analyst (BHM)

WORK LOCATION, SCHEDULE, & TRAVEL

- This position will be based out of Birmingham, AL.
- Hybrid work schedule (both in-office and telecommute); currently four (4) days in-office and one (1) day telecommute.
- Relocation assistance may be provided if the successful candidate does not currently live within a reasonable commuting distance.
- This position will require some travel (day and overnight, up to 25%) and the ability to work successfully in a remote/virtual environment with access to internet service.

POSITION SUMMARY

If you're passionate about being at the forefront of innovation in the electric utility industry, this is the perfect moment to join us! With an accelerated growth in power demands and AI technologies reshaping our field, our teams are designing dependable transmission and distribution protection systems to maintain the highest level of reliability our customers expect. We're embracing the latest advancements in protective relaying systems, setting the stage for a new era of the electric grid. If you’re excited about helping build tomorrow’s energy infrastructure, we invite you to explore this opportunity and become part of our dynamic team!

This position will perform protective relay calculations and coordination studies for Southern Company's transmission and distribution systems. This engineer will also perform engineering design and technical services for the specification, application and analysis of protective relaying and control systems. The selected candidate(s) will provide technical expertise and support for design, construction, planning, marketing and customers regarding protection and control of Southern Company's transmission and distribution facilities.

Additional responsibilities include developing and maintaining impedance models from equipment manufacturer data and transmission line designs using Gridscale X (CAPE) for Southern Company's transmission system. This includes performing system impact studies in support of transmission system interconnection requests.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

- Design protective relay & control schemes and develop protective relay settings to protect and monitor the performance of electric power system facilities (transmission lines, distribution lines, and substation equipment).
- Provide power system and protection engineering consulting services and technical assistance to other functional areas.
- Investigate root cause of abnormal power system operations.
- Review transmission system operations with emphasis on microprocessor relay event analysis.
- Some travel for site visits, meetings, conferences, and training may be required.
- Develop and maintain impedance models from equipment manufacturer data and transmission line designs using Gridscale X (CAPE).
- Perform short-circuit studies for transmission and substation projects, including breaker duty, equipment ratings, and system strength assessments.
- Perform interconnection studies to assess the impact of renewable energy integration (inverter-based resources) and traditional generation on short-circuit levels and provide breaker duty impacts.
- Participate in an on-call rotation to provide remote support to field and operations customers in the event of abnormal/emergency system conditions.

Opportunities provided by this position:

- Learning how a power system/utility operates and how substations are designed and built.
- Attending a variety of classes to aid in professional development. Many of these classes are designed for new engineers to help them improve their skills and knowledge to be successful.
- Working for a large electric utility that offers many opportunities for advancement.

Selected candidate will have the chance to:

- Work with technologies that range from the older electromechanical relays to modern microprocessor relays.
- Support operations and design functions to maintain a reliable, safe, and secure power system.
- Develop protection schemes and providing relay settings for protecting the power system from short circuits and other abnormal conditions that might cause damage or interfere with the effective operation of the system.
- Handle multiple projects simultaneously, requiring the ability to set priorities and use effective time management and organizational skills.
- Develop power system models including transmission lines, transformers, inverter-based resources (IBR), and generators.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Engineering Technology is preferred Electrical emphasis/discipline is highly preferred

- Professional Engineer (P.E.) License or Engineer-in-Training Certificate or ability to obtain in 12 months is highly desirable

Experience:

- Experience performing protective relay calculations and coordination studies is a plus.
- Experience working with APA (Advanced Protection Assessment), ASPEN, EDSA, ETAP or other related power system simulation software programs is a plus.
- Substation protective relay testing experience along with control scheme testing and commissioning experience is a plus.
- Experience in transmission and/or distribution substation operations, power delivery, field services engineering, and/or substation control design engineering is a plus.
- Knowledge of NERC compliance requirements for the Bulk Electric System (BES) is a plus.
- For less experienced engineers, electrical engineering courses that will be helpful in this position will include Power System Analysis, Protective Relaying, Control Systems, Electric Machine Theory, and Symmetrical Components.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

- Knowledge of electrical and power system theory
- Understanding of substation protection & operation control schemes
- Strong computer, data analysis, time management & excellent communication skills (oral, presentation & written)

Behavioral Attributes:

- Model Our Values : Safety First, Intentional Inclusion, Act with Integrity, and Superior Performance
- Conduct all activities with a focus on providing value to our customers.
- Take personal responsibility for their projects and customer issues.
- Follow through on all aspects of assignments to ensure a quality product and increased value is delivered to our customers.
- Exhibit and promote a positive, "can do" attitude.
- Commitment as a team member to building and maintaining an inclusive work environment.
- Must place strong emphasis on Operational Excellence (mistake free designs).
- Must understand and practice Human Performance concepts.

BENEFITS

- Competitive Pay
- Excellent benefits packages which includes: Medical and dental coverage
- Defined Pension/Cash Balance Benefit Plan
- Performance-sharing plan
- 401(k) plan with a generous company match
- Bonus opportunities
- Tuition Reimbursement

***Please submit an updated resume with your application***